GoAway Parties- Launching the kids into new adventures...

July 29, 2008 2:15 AM

Party up ahead. Humbly requesting ideas for ritual activities; can range from high concept to downright soppy. Two couples leaving (launching), one to law and physical therapy schools and one couple with a 3 year old going to live in Bhutan for 6 months. All family, all leaving on the same day. You won't be able to swing a cat and not hit a road-map or inflatable globes, maps and old photos but I'm searching for memorable and heck, maybe even meaningful activities (and food and drink, and speeches, and songs and skits.... ) there's a lot riding on this so please let me thank you in advance for your generous additions. {Both couples in early 30's.}
posted by lois1950 to grab bag (5 comments total)

Apples to Apples.

I bring it to every party and everyone always loves it. It's never the wrong game. I've seriously hurt myself laughing. "Memorable" and "meaningful" depend on your definition of the words, but it's a definite bonding experience.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 3:34 AM on July 29, 2008

We used to play a really wicked game at our Hanukkah latke parties: each person brings a wrapped (inexpensive) gift. You draw names for turns. When it's your turn you can either open a new package or steal a gift that's already been opened! There are other rules, like you can't take back something that's been taken from you in the same round. (Sometimes we forbade partners from taking things on behalf of each other...). I've heard it called "the white elephant game" but we always called it the evil Hanukkah game.
Anyway, since the hosts are all moving, maybe you could play a version of this where you wrap all the gifts as a way of divesting of a lot of stuff. Sort of a reverse, passive-aggressive tag sale.
The game takes quite a while to play out, but it's often memorable, and you'd be surprised at the kind of things that acquire value by being repeatedly snatched. You could even put your own names in so you have a chance to get stuff back that you changed your mind about.
posted by Mngo at 6:34 AM on July 29, 2008

Whoa, from this comment on a related question below, I found out that iconomy calls it "Cutthroat Pollyanna" and provides a link to a gorgeous graphic of how it's played.
OK, back to work.
posted by Mngo at 6:39 AM on July 29, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Also known as a 'yankee swap'. Don't do it if your family holds grudges. Mine does and thus Yankee Swaps lead to intra-familial feuds.
posted by mkb at 7:27 AM on July 29, 2008

Whenever someone leaves or has a special event we do a Quiz Roast. Everyone at the party is given a sheet of paper with four or five questions written on it about the guest(s) of honor; they are not to know what they are ahead of time. The questions are usually quirky and can either be answered nicely or with a little bit of spice. The answers are anonymous and placed in a big pile before being distributed to the guests randomly to be read out loud. This gives everyone the freedom to poke a little fun.

Example Questions:

When one friend with thick skin left to take a corporate job far away:
-What disease best represents M's personality?
-What crime is M most likely to be indited for?
-What is M's favorite cut of meat?

When one friend left for law school:
- Who does J think is the sexist Supreme Court Justice? Why?
- If J were a cookie what kind would she be?
- How will J be disbarred?

There are always a few good laughs and the guests of honor/victims are left with sheets of nice/funny/wicked comments that they can read again when they are in their new place and feeling lonely.
posted by Alison at 9:05 AM on July 29, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]